SINGAPORE: Repair works were under way at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Thursday (Jan 26), three days after a man and his two-year-old daughter fell into a hole in a bridge there.
When CNA visited the reserve on Thursday morning, two workers were seen repairing the crossing of a sluice gate, which is used to control water levels in the reserve's ponds.
One of the workers told CNA that four planks of the crossing had to be replaced.
The area was cordoned off while works were ongoing, and several large metal sheets could be seen next to the workers.
The sluice gate is located near observation hide 1E, as described by Mr Bucky Hussein in his Instagram post about the incident.
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The incident occurred between 11am and noon on Monday while Mr Hussain's family – comprising himself, his wife and their two children – were rushing to leave the reserve because of torrential rain.
While crossing the bridge, which was covered in "a good 3 to 5cm of water", Mr Hussain said that he and his two-year-old daughter, Ashley, fell "into a huge hole", and into "dark and muddy" water.
Mr Hussain wrapped his arms around his daughter to "stop her from floating away", but said he "couldn't feel the bottom" and that if he had let go, the two of them would have been "sucked under the bridge".
Both he and his daughter managed to get back onto the crossing, and he said in his post that they were "seconds away from drowning".
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Responding to CNA queries on Wednesday, National Parks Board (NParks) group director of conservation Lim Liang Jim said: "Waters had overflowed during the peak of the spring tide coupled with heavy rain that dislodged the (crossing's) floor panels, exposing a gap."
"The area was cordoned off following the incident, and the gap has been closed off after the water receded," Mr Lim added. “We are currently monitoring the water levels in the reserve closely and will undertake temporary closure to sections that may be subject to intermittent flooding.”
CNA has contacted NParks for more information about the repair works at the site.
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When CNA visited the reserve on Thursday morning, two workers were seen repairing the crossing of a sluice gate, which is used to control water levels in the reserve's ponds.
One of the workers told CNA that four planks of the crossing had to be replaced.
The area was cordoned off while works were ongoing, and several large metal sheets could be seen next to the workers.
The sluice gate is located near observation hide 1E, as described by Mr Bucky Hussein in his Instagram post about the incident.
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
The incident occurred between 11am and noon on Monday while Mr Hussain's family – comprising himself, his wife and their two children – were rushing to leave the reserve because of torrential rain.
While crossing the bridge, which was covered in "a good 3 to 5cm of water", Mr Hussain said that he and his two-year-old daughter, Ashley, fell "into a huge hole", and into "dark and muddy" water.
Mr Hussain wrapped his arms around his daughter to "stop her from floating away", but said he "couldn't feel the bottom" and that if he had let go, the two of them would have been "sucked under the bridge".
Both he and his daughter managed to get back onto the crossing, and he said in his post that they were "seconds away from drowning".
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Workers repair the crossing of a sluice gate located near observation hide 1E at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Jan 26, 2023. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
Responding to CNA queries on Wednesday, National Parks Board (NParks) group director of conservation Lim Liang Jim said: "Waters had overflowed during the peak of the spring tide coupled with heavy rain that dislodged the (crossing's) floor panels, exposing a gap."
"The area was cordoned off following the incident, and the gap has been closed off after the water receded," Mr Lim added. “We are currently monitoring the water levels in the reserve closely and will undertake temporary closure to sections that may be subject to intermittent flooding.”
CNA has contacted NParks for more information about the repair works at the site.
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